He Murdered His Girlfriend, Now His Parents Have Custody of Baby — Not Her Mother
GoLocalProv News Team and Kate Nagle
He Murdered His Girlfriend, Now His Parents Have Custody of Baby — Not Her Mother
With her daughter murdered, Lisa Rene is trying to fight against rulings of the Rhode Island courts and social service agencies and gain custody of Julian — the son of her deceased daughter Rachael Rene, who was murdered by her then-boyfriend Luis Matta in January.
“I have no rights to my own grandchild,” said Rene, who said she still does not have a gravestone for her daughter.
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“She told me he was going to kill her,” said Rene, of her daughter confessing to her that she feared for her life. “The state his honoring his parental rights (to turn Julian over to his parents). What about my murdered daughter’s rights?”
Now, a change.org petition has been launched by his godmother Melissa Medeiros, imploring the state to intervene, with nearly 700 signatures as of Friday.
“Well, she would be his godmother, but he hasn’t been baptized yet,” said Rene, of her 18-month old grandson, who she sees currently two days a week. “This is just terrible. People tell me how terrible it is. They have no idea. I just want what’s fair.”
Custody Battle Turns Deadly
Rene said that last fall, Matta took her grandson for what was supposed to be a temporary visit from her daughter — but kept him at his parents for nearly a month, before her daughter went to court — when Rene said she was awarded sole custody, the day before she was murdered.
“My daughter was mutilated,” said Rene, of learning that Matta lured her to an apartment under the guise of meeting up, and then brutally stabbed her dozens of times and disfigured her -- all while the baby was there.
“[DCYF] didn’t have to go and look at my mutilated daughter in a coffin — I did,” said Rene. “How does he get to keep his ‘parental rights’ to say where the baby should go?”
Rene said she heard from DCYF that because the baby’s belongings were already at the parental grandparents, it was more “convenient” for him to be there, despite Matta having kept him there unlawfully — and that because she was involved with a man with a criminal past, and didn’t have a place for baby Julian, that he should remain with the paternal grandparents.
“Why would I have had a place ready for [my grandson]? He was living with my daughter before she was killed,” said Rene. “As for my [boyfriend], he’d made mistakes in the past. But he’s a good man. He helped me take care of my other daughter [who had passed away the previous year].”
“But to get my grandson, I knew I had to leave. I got temporary housing. I’ve got a new apartment now with everything for Julian there — toys, a garden, musical instruments,” said Rene. “When we go walking through town, people call him the ‘Mayor.’ He loves everybody. And they know what he’s been through.”
Rene, who lives in Warren, said that she’s been trying to work with her in-laws, to be able to get full custody of Julian.
“Of course I’d let them see him. They’re his grandparents. I’m not a monster,” said Rene. “I just gave them vegetables from my garden. I just want my grandson. He’s the only grandchild I’ll ever have.”
When reached for comment, Angela Matta — Luis’ sister — said the family “preferred not to comment,” and that they believed the situation should play out in the courts.
“I don’t agree with anything they're saying, however,” said Matta, who said she had seen the petition. “We just want what’s best for Julian. This is very tough for us as well. It’s a little sad they’re trying to define us by the actions [of Luis]. We just want some privacy and stability for Julian.”
Rene says she keeps a “shrine” to her deceased daughter, and that Julian “looks behind the photos” for his mother.
“He seems fine — but he grabs the pictures and looks behind them looking for her. It’s gut-wrenching,” said Rene. “I have a teddy bear that had been given to him that has her voice — and he kisses and hugs it.”
“I just want to see this law changed, whatever it is,” said Rene. “This just isn’t right.”
DCYF responded with the following statement.
"Our top priority is ensuring the health and safety of Rhode Island children and youth. All situations are handled on a case-by-case basis in conjunction with the Family Court, and every child is assigned an attorney/guardian ad litem to represent them," said Kerri White with DCYF.